Photo Flash: First Look at Cygnet Theatre's Noel Coward Rep - THE VORTEX and HAY FEVER

Cygnet's tradition of shows performed in rotating rep continues with Noël Coward's HAY FEVER (dir. Rob Lutfy) and THE VORTEX (dir. Sean Murray). These two plays turned Coward into an overnight sensation, one light and madcap, the other dark and shocking. Written at the same time, they represent opposite sides of Coward's talent. San Diego favorite Rosina Reynolds takes on the strong female roles in both these productions. Opening night for both productions is Saturday, October 3rd at 3 (HAY FEVER) and 8 pm (THE VORTEX). BroadwayWorld has a first look at both shows in action below!

Rob Lutfy, recently appointed as Cygnet's Associate Artistic Director, returns to San Diego for good to direct HAY FEVER. Lutfy, who directed critically acclaimed mountings of The Motherf**ker with the Hat and Sons of the Prophet, was most recently the 2014-2015 National New Play Network Producer-in-Residence at Marin Theatre Company. He has worked on plays in development at The Kennedy Center, The O'Neill Theatre Center, and Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company. He was the 2012-13 William R. Kenan, Jr. Directing Fellow at The John F. Kennedy Center.

Sean Murray, who appeared in and directed Coward's Private Lives at Cygnet in 2009, is eager to mount THE VORTEX, a rarely produced Coward gem.

Rosina Reynolds returns to the Cygnet stage where she wowed audiences in her 2011 award-winning turn as Amanda Wingfield in The Glass Menagerie. She also appeared in Noises Off, Arcadia, Little Foxes and Copenhagen. Joining Reynolds are Charles Evans, Jr. in the dual roles of Nicky Lancaster and Simon Bliss (Dogfight, My Fair Lady, A Christmas Carol, Spring Awakening) and Rachael VanWormer as both Bunty Mainwaring and Sorel Bliss (The Importance of Being Earnest, Travesties, Arcadia). All making their Cygnet debuts, the cast is rounded out by Rhona Gold, AJ Jones, James Saba, Lauren King Thompson, Jill Van Velzer, andPaul Eggington.

The production team features costume design by Jacinda Johnston-Fischer, set design by Sean Fanning, lighting design by R. Craig Wolf, sound design by Matt Lescault-Wood, and properties design by Syd Stevens. Jennifer Kozumplik will stage manage.

Performances dates are September 23 through November 8. For more information regarding tickets, contact the box office at 619-337-1525 or visit www.cygnettheatre.com. Tickets may also be purchased in person at the box office located at 4040 Twiggs Street.

Photo Credit: Daren Scott